Retainer and attachment means

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION PROVIDES FORMWORK, FOR CONCRETE STRUCTURES, OF THE TYPE CAPABLE OF BEING INTERLOCKED WITH ADJACENT FORMWORK MEMBERS ALONG ADJACENT LONGITUDINAL EDGES AND TO BE LEFT IN POSITION AFTER THE CONCRETE HAS SET SO AS TO CONSTITUTE CLADDING FOR THE CONCRETE, WHEREIN THERE ARE RETAINER MEANS FOR INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FORMWORK, SAID RETAINER MEANS HAVING A RETAINER MEMBER ADAPTED TO RESIST DISENGAGEMENT OF ADJACENT FORMWORK MEMBERS AND HAVING VOID-FORMING MEANS FOR PROVIDING A CONCRETE VOID WHEREBY A FASTENER MAY BE ENGAGED WITH THE FORMWORK WITHOUT INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONCRETE.

3,775,922 Dec. 4, 1973 United States Patent Myers 275,109 7/1951 Switzerland...........................52/372 Reginald Lewis Myers, 8501 West 2887 H965 Netherlands 52,537 Higgins Rd., Chicago, Ill. 60631 16, 1970 Primary Examiner-Alfred C. Perham Attorney-Robert W. Beart, Michael Kovac and Jack [21] Appl. No.: 98,639 Halvol-sen Inventor:

Filed:

[ RETAINER'AND ATTACHMENT MEANS Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 18 1969 Australia......................65465/69 The invention provides formwork, for concrete struc- 2 B3 3 M 7 Am 3/ 2 25 E h C r 8 "e "S m .l C em .I MF 1] 100 55 1.1.

set so as to constitute cladding for the concrete, wherein there are retainer meansfor interlocking engagement with the formwork, said retainer means having a retainer member adapted to resist disengagement of adjacent formwork members and having voidforming means for providing a concrete void whereby a fastener may be engaged with the formwork without coming into engagement with the concrete.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures III I,

52/588 52/588 52/461 52/376 52/699 X Knohl 52/372 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Tinnerman....... Downing, Jr..... Greulich Hall 116 4/1956 Fitzgerald............................. 169 4/1969 12/1970 835 8/1939 727 10/1923 152 12/1970 6/1960 Great Britain.....................

-1 RETAINER AND ATTACHMENT MEANS This invention relates to improvements in formwork for concrete structures, and it refers particularly to an improved retainer means for holding together formwork used in concrete structures and for providing a void in the concrete.

According to this invention there is provided a retainer means adapted for interlocking engagement with forms usable in the building of concrete structures and having means for providing a void inthe concrete structure whereby fastening means may be engaged with the concrete forms without engagement with the concrete.

in the construction of concrete'buildings and parts thereof such as concrete floors/ceilings there may be provided formwork of metal which is left in position when the concrete has set so as to provide a cladding for the concrete. In many cases it is then desired to attach other structures or articles to the cladding and wall, ceiling, floor or other part of the concrete structure. If articles or other members are attached to the metal cladding the forces exerted on the metal cladding by reason of the weight, say, of the attached members may cause the metal cladding to pull away from the concrete structure. On the other hand, if it is desired to make a firm connection of a fastener as a screw to the concrete as well as to the metal cladding then it is necessary to drill a hole in the metal formwork or cladding, to form a hole in the concrete and to engage in the concrete a'plug of known type into which the fastening member may be engaged.

It will be readily apparent that the drilling of holes into the metal is best done by a metal drill, which is-not suited to the formation of holes in concrete. Therefore, it is first necessary to drill the hole in the metal and to then use a second tool for forming the hole in the concrete, finally engaging in the formed hole the appropriate plug means for reception of the screw or other fastening member. This is considerably time-consuming as well as being rather difficult at someglocations whereat there are space limitations which make it difficult to work efficiently in drilling holesand carrying out the other necessary work. At some locations it is difficult to maneuver electric drills and to operate concrete drills.

It has been proposed to provide different types of concrete inserts to be placed within the concrete prior to its hardening so as to be firmly engaged therein whilst enabling other articles or members to be attached thereto without the need for forming holes in the concrete. These inserts generally require special mounting before the concrete is poured so that when the concrete has hardened the inserts will be exposed ready for use. Even so, if such inserts be provided they are not readily located when the metal formwork is left in position to constitute a cladding for the concrete.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide improved means for enabling the affixture to pre-cast concrete of a suspended ceiling or other structural members,electric lights, brackets or other members.

Another object is to provide means, for use in com crete building structures, for holding against disengagement the interengaged portions of formwork intended to be left in position after the concrete has set.

Yet another object is to provide means whereby the aforesaid disadvantages may be overcome or removed in a simple and relatively inexpensive manner.

A further object is to provide retainer means for holding together portions of metal formwork and for providing a void in the concrete behind the surface of the formwork to enable screws or other fastening means to be engaged with the formwork without the necessity for forming holes in the concrete.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such retainer means which is relatively inexpensive and capable of being readily manufactured by mass production techniques.

A still further object of this inventionis toprovide means for enabling the affixture of other articles to precast concrete, which means is of light weight and simple construction, of such design that it may be readily made and fitted in position, which may be readily located when it is desired to fasten. some article to the concrete structure, which will be effective in holding in position formwork or cladding engaged with the concrete, and which will be durable in use.

A further object is to provide retainer means for the purpose stated which may enable the installation of electric cables or other means within the pre-cast concrete structure of a building.

The invention devised with these and other objects in view resides in retainermeans for interlocking engagement with formwork or cladding for a concrete structure, such retainer means being adapted to resist disengagement of adjacent, interengaged formwork or cladding members and having means :for providing a concrete void whereby a fastening member may be engaged with the formwork or cladding without engagement with the concrete.

The retainer. means may be adapted for interlocking engagement with the formwork or cladding for its full length or for a part only of said length, and for providing a continuous voidin the concrete for the full length of the formwork or cladding or for a part or parts only of that length.

According to another aspect of the inventionthere isprovided an elongated member of somewhat channel shape having arm means extending fromthe longitudinal side portions thereof and mounted therein a member which will offer no effective resistance to a fastening member engaged through the. base portion of the channel shaped member.

In order that. the invention may be clearly understood and readily put into practical form two exemplary constructions made according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, wherein:

FIG. ll shows a transverse cross-sectional view through a concrete structure and formwork associated therewith incorporating retainer means according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the retainer member; 7

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a short-length retainer member; and

FIG. 4 is an end view of a modified form of insert.

The retainer member illustrated in FIG. 2 has a base 5 which is flat, two upwardly and inwardly extending side walls 6 joined to the base 5 by curved edges 7 and upwardly and outwardly extending lugs 8 at spaced intervals in the length of the retainer member. Said retainer member is made as a continuous strip to extend the full length of the form members 9 and 10 shown in FIG. 1.

The retainer member illustrated in FIG. 3 is short, having only three pairs of the lugs 8, and it is, intended that several of these short retainer members be used at spaced intervals to connect together a pair of the form members 9 and 10.

The form members 9 and 10 are of a suitable design which does not form part of this invention for interlocking engagement and engagement by the retainer member of this invention. In the construction illustrated the form member 9 has a rib member 11 shaped to provide shoulders 12 and adapted to receive the similar rib member 13 of the form member 10, the rib member 13 having similar shoulders 14 for interlocking engagement with the shoulders 12 of the rib member 1 l.

The retainer member is made of such size and proportions in relation to the form members 9 and 10 that it may be fitted tightly into the rib member 13 of the form member 10 so that the lugs 8 engage beneath the shoulders 14 and thereby strongly resist any influence to effect disengagement of the form members 9 and 10.

Fitted into the retainer member is a void-forming member or insert 15 which may consist of foam polystyrene, foam polyvinyl chloride or other material having suitable rigidity to form the void in concrete whilst providing little resistance to the engagement of a screw in the form members and the retainer'member. It may be desired in certain cases to have a fastening screw engage in the insert 15, and the insert 15 may then be made of wood or other material more solid than foam polystyrene.

The insert 15 is held in the retainer member by the inward crimping of the arms 6, so as to thereby form a unit. Said insert is of a height and width to form in the concrete a void of sufficient extent to accommodate any fastener which may reasonably be used to hold an article relative to the form members 9 and 10.

It will be appreciated that the insert 15 may be attached to the retainer member by adhesive in addition to or in place of the inward crimping of the side walls 6.

In the use of the invention the two form members 9 and 10 are assembled and the retainer means, consisting of the retainer 4 and the insert 15, is engaged therewith. The concrete 16 is then poured to form the intended structure as indicated in FIG. 1. When it is desired to fit fasteners to the form members suitable holes may be formed in said members and in the retainer member by a drill, or self drilling thread forming screws may be used.

FIG. 4 illustrates the shape of an insert 15a which may be used instead of the insert 15 when it is desired to provide a channel or conduit in the concrete, as for the installation of electric cables, said insert 15a being adapted to be engaged in the retainer member in the same manner as the insert 15 but providing for the ho]- low space within the outline defined by the inner walls of the insert 15a and the base 5 of the retainer. When this insert is used screws or other fastenings may be engaged in holes formed in the form members 9 and 10 and retainer member, in the same manner as with the insert 15.

It will be apparent that there may be provided a retainer member to extend the full length of the form members 9 and 10, or to provide several members as illustrated in FIG. 3 for engagement with the interengaged form members 9 and 10 at spaced intervals. F urther, if the full length retainer member be provided then the insert 15 (or 15a) may extend the full length thereof, or several shorter inserts may be used at spaced intervals. Also, if the shorter retainer members beused there may be provided a full length insert for engagement therein, or shorter inserts for engagement in each retainer member.

All such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be deemed to be included in the ambit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a formwork system for concrete, the combination of at least two similar cladding members having overlapping longitudinal edges and forming at least one trough for forming of concrete therein, the trough having a longitudinally directed bottom surface and a pair of side surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom surface, the cladding members overlapping to form a double thickness in at least the bottom surface and a portion of each side surface, each cladding member including an inwardly directed shoulder on its side surface to lockingly engage the longitudinal edge of the other cladding member, a channel-like retainer means having a substantially flat base positioned along the bottom surface of the trough, the retainer means also including side portions directed upwardly from the fiat base, said side portions including tab members lockingly engaging the side surfaces beneath the shoulders to prevent separation therefrom and also to prevent separation of one cladding member from the other, void forming means mounted in the retaining means to permit a fastener to penetrate the cladding and retainer means without substantial resistance from the concrete.

2. A formwork system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tab members extend from the upper edges of the sides of the retainer means at spaced intervals along the length of the retainer means.

3. A formwork system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the void-forming means is a length of substantially rigid foam plastic secured between the sides of the retainer means.

4. A formwork system in accordance with claim I, wherein the void-forming member is an inverted channel-like member engaged between the sides of the retainer means. 

